§ Mr. David ShawTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the achievements of his Department and his policies in helping small businesses over the last 12 months compared with the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyOverall responsibility for helping small businesses rests with the Department of Employment, which provides a range of measures to stimulate their development.
The Department of Transport is concerned to ensure that transport infrastructure is adequate and to lift the burden on businesses caused by unnecessary regulation so that all businesses can flourish.